Meningitis vaccine hunt a shot in the dark

Required for college, doses are in short supply

By Cindy George |
December 30, 2011
| Updated: December 30, 2011 10:45pm

Local supplies of meningitis vaccines are dwindling as students scramble to find the shot that is now required for college entry in Texas.

A new law effective Jan. 1 requires all students under 30 enrolling in Texas colleges and universities to show proof of a meningococcal dose or booster within the last five years - or to opt out by filing an exemption form. A previous version of the law effective a year ago only applied to students living on campus.

The state has ordered more doses for local health departments and community health centers. Revised rules for Adult Safety Net immunization sites allows any college student - regardless of insurance status - to receive a free or low-cost dose through Jan. 31.

The Houston health department's four adult safety net locations are offering the shots for a $15 administration fee. By Friday afternoon, only one of those clinics had doses.

The Jamie Schanbaum and Nicolis Williams Act is named after two Texas college students who experienced the dire consequences of meningitis. Williams, a 20-year-old Texas A&M University student from Sugar Land, died in February. He resided off campus.

The infection almost killed Schanbaum in 2008. Both of her legs have been amputated below the knee and she lost six fingers. Now, 23, the fierce meningitis vaccination advocate and paralympic cyclist has returned to her studies at the University of Texas at Austin.

A new video called Facing Meningitis features Williams' family and Schanbaum. The public service short, available on YouTube, shows Schanbaum's blackened limbs and a bedridden Williams connected to a respirator.

"If anyone would question why this law was expanded," said Greg Williams, Nicolis' father, "that video should help you not question why."

Adolescents 16 to 21 are at greatest risk for contracting meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

"Meningococcal, although uncommon, is a horrible disease. It kills one in seven people in that age group that are so unfortunate to catch it. One in five will have long-term effects from the disease - severe scarring, amputation of arms, legs and digits, long-term kidney damage as well as some neurological deficits," said Dr. C. Mary Healy of the Center for Vaccine Awareness and Research at Texas Children's Hospital and a Baylor College of Medicine pediatrics professor.

At the Houston health department's adult immunization clinic on North Stadium, the vaccination costs $128. Drug store and supermarket quick clinics charge around $130 to $150. The shot is widely covered by insurance.

On Friday, the Fort Bend County health department had an adequate supply despite a "small increase" in vaccine requests.